The following practical directions may be found useful to
those who wish to try this system of flower arrangement at
once with as little trouble and as little expense as possible : —
Go round your house and collect all the china, earthenware,
and metal vessels that can be spared — even a kettle, if nothing
else can be found, would do. Earthenware dog-troughs are
specially adapted to water decorations ; three-legged witch's
cauldrons and common salt-jars also do very well ; an ordinary
earthenware flower-pot, with the hole at the bottom corked up,
would lend itself to wedging purposes ; and every house con-
tains some ornamental pottery, bronze, brass, or silver vessels
of a suitable kind. Glass cannot be ustd, as the pressure of the
APPENDIX 361
wedge would crack it ; and for the same reason it is inadvisable
to try to fix a wedge in fine or valuable china.
From all these select those of a most suitable shape — i.e.
either broad and flat for water decorations ; or narrow-necked
with a wide mouth ; or a tall, narrow-necked shape, suitable for
supporting only one branch without a wedge. If the vessel be
small, and made only of thin pottery or china, it should be
weighted by placing stones or something heavy inside to
balance the weight of the flower erection ; without this pre-
caution a tall arrangement might overbalance the whole thing.
If the vessel be heavy in itself — of bronze, brass, silver, or other
metals, or if of earthenware, sufficiently large to become heavy
when filled with water — then this additional weighting is not
necessary.
Your next step should be to procure some narrow wood —
fire-lighting wood, or laths of any kind. Measure the width
of the vase at the place where the wedge is to be fixed ; this
should be slightly below the surface, so as to be concealed when
the vase is filled with water. Cut two pieces of wood to the
required length, and shape them at the end to fit the sides
of the vase ; then scoop out the inner side of each piece of wood,
so as to form an oval-shaped opening when they are placed
together, slightly narrower below than at the top surface, so as
to allow the stalks a freer play of direction, at the same time
holding them firm. Then cut out a small notch at each angle
of the wood, at a distance of about half an inch from the ends ;
place the two pieces together, and tie them firmly with string
at both ends in the rut of the notches. The string should first
be soaked, wound round two or three times, and firmly knotted ;
it will then remain quite secure. Wire is even better adapted
to the purpose than string.
A yet simpler way is, instead of scooping out an oval-shaped
opening, to insert a small extra piece of wood at each end
between the two woods that form the wedge, and, by thus
keeping them apart, make an opening large enough for the
width of the stems.
When the wedge is made, soak it in water for a few seconds
to make the wood swell ; then fix it firmly in the neck of the
vase.
Yet another fastener, and perhaps the most adaptable of any,
362 POT-POURRI FROM A SURREY GARDEN
Page 213
Presented as published in 1898. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
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The following practical directions may be found useful to
those who wish to try this system of flower arrangement at
once with as little trouble and as little expense as possible : —
Go round your house and collect all the china, earthenware,
and metal vessels that can be spared — even a kettle, if nothing
else can be found, would do. Earthenware dog-troughs are
specially adapted to water decorations ; three-legged witch's
cauldrons and common salt-jars also do very well ; an ordinary
earthenware flower-pot, with the hole at the bottom corked up,
would lend itself to wedging purposes ; and every house con-
tains some ornamental pottery, bronze, brass, or silver vessels
of a suitable kind. Glass cannot be ustd, as the pressure of the
APPENDIX 361
wedge would crack it ; and for the same reason it is inadvisable
to try to fix a wedge in fine or valuable china.
From all these select those of a most suitable shape — i.e.
either broad and flat for water decorations ; or narrow-necked
with a wide mouth ; or a tall, narrow-necked shape, suitable for
supporting only one branch without a wedge. If the vessel be
small, and made only of thin pottery or china, it should be
weighted by placing stones or something heavy inside to
balance the weight of the flower erection ; without this pre-
caution a tall arrangement might overbalance the whole thing.
If the vessel be heavy in itself — of bronze, brass, silver, or other
metals, or if of earthenware, sufficiently large to become heavy
when filled with water — then this additional weighting is not
necessary.
Your next step should be to procure some narrow wood —
fire-lighting wood, or laths of any kind. Measure the width
of the vase at the place where the wedge is to be fixed ; this
should be slightly below the surface, so as to be concealed when
the vase is filled with water. Cut two pieces of wood to the
required length, and shape them at the end to fit the sides
of the vase ; then scoop out the inner side of each piece of wood,
so as to form an oval-shaped opening when they are placed
together, slightly narrower below than at the top surface, so as
to allow the stalks a freer play of direction, at the same time
holding them firm. Then cut out a small notch at each angle
of the wood, at a distance of about half an inch from the ends ;
place the two pieces together, and tie them firmly with string
at both ends in the rut of the notches. The string should first
be soaked, wound round two or three times, and firmly knotted ;
it will then remain quite secure. Wire is even better adapted
to the purpose than string.
A yet simpler way is, instead of scooping out an oval-shaped
opening, to insert a small extra piece of wood at each end
between the two woods that form the wedge, and, by thus
keeping them apart, make an opening large enough for the
width of the stems.
When the wedge is made, soak it in water for a few seconds
to make the wood swell ; then fix it firmly in the neck of the
vase.
Yet another fastener, and perhaps the most adaptable of any,
362 POT-POURRI FROM A SURREY GARDEN